The Everyday Dal-Rice-Ghee

When raindrops pitter patter on freshly washed leaves and even when beads of sweat trickle down my neck on a summer afternoon, when I sit cozy wrapped in a blanket on a chilly December night and also after a tiring day at work, I crave a warm bowl of Dal-chawal & ghee. It is the most comforting desi meal that was ever made! Call it Varan-Bhaat ani toop in a Maharashtrian home, Dhal-Bhaat in a Bengali home or even Sambhar-Rice with ghee; Dal-Rice with ghee is eaten as a complete meal across India and for good reason.

The ULTIMATE Desi Superfood – Dal-Chawal-Ghee

Dal and Rice together are a complete vegetarian protein; the ghee tadka not only enhances the flavor but also helps us absorb the nutrients from the dal-rice, turmeric and cumin. Adding desi cow’s ghee increases the benefits of our everyday meal. While a variety of dals and rice can be used to make our favorite meal, the most common preference is arhar or toor dal with fragrant basmati rice and cow’s ghee. This combination is made in heaven, and executed to perfection by our mothers. In their kitchen, the secret ingredient is warmth and lots of love.

Unbelievable Benefits of Eating Dal-Rice-Ghee Everyday

Now, let’s talk about everything that goes into making Dal-Chawal-Ghee that makes it so great. Every ingredient that is added in making dal chawal compliments other the ingredients enhances flavours and also makes the dish more nourishing for the body in that combination.

#1 Building Muscle – Complete protein for vegetarians

Dal-Rice is considered to be the perfect protein for a vegetarian. The proteins and amino acids in dal are complimentary to those in rice. Dal and rice are both incomplete proteins but eating them together makes the combination a complete protein for vegetarians. Grains, such as rice or wheat can act as complementary proteins for legumes such as lentils. They contain the cysteine and methionine that lentils don’t have, and lentils provide the lysine that grains do not have enough of.

#2 Digestion Dal, Cumin and Hing

My mother often tells me to take a pinch of hing or asafetida with warm water when I have a stomachache or indigestion. Hing is taken as a home remedy for indigestion because it has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Dal on the other hand is rich in fiber and more fiber improves our digestion. Cumin is known to trigger our digestive juices and enzymes, it is also high in fiber and has anti fungal and anti microbial properties. Ghee also stimulates digestive juices. Cumin and asafetida used in Dal tadka together help in preventing intestinal gas that might be produced when digesting high fiber foods like dal. Such an intelligent recipe!! The counter action of all the ingredients together promotes good digestion.

#3 Anti-inflammatory and Healing

Spices like cumin, turmeric and asafetida are added in dal tadka along with ghee when preparing Dal Chawal. Turmeric, cumin and asafetida are loaded with antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties that help in healing. If you have a cold, indigestion or aches and pains, the combination of these spices in dal-chawal that is soaked and cooked down helps in speedy recovery. Ghee helps in absorbing the nutrients from these spices, and adds to the flavor. Proteins in dal chawal, helps in repair and building of new tissue and muscles making this the ultimate comfort food.

#4 Hair, Skin & Beauty

Turmeric, which is an important ingredient in Dal is known as the beauty spice. It is not only applied externally for glowing skin, but it also heals your skin and hair from the inside. For the best benefits, turmeric needs to be heated and mixed with fat such as ghee and black pepper. When this combination is added in making Dal Chawal along with pure cow’s ghee, which is also good for moisturizing skin, it increases your beauty and skin glow. Curry leaves are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and these properties make them very beneficial for skin and hair. Curry leaf tadka along with ghee and turmeric boost the beauty factor of Dal Chawal Ghee.

#5 Rich in Antioxidants

As I had mentioned earlier all these spices that are added in the tadka including turmeric, cumin, asafetida, curry leaves are loaded with antioxidants. The presence of antioxidants helps us fight cancer, diabetes and lifestyle related diseases.

#6 Rich in nutrients & also helps absorb nutrients

Other than being a good source of protein, fats and carbohydrates, the spices and cow’s ghee are also rich in Vitamins like A, D, E and K. Ghee is not only rich in nutrients, the fat content in it helps us absorb the nutrition from the other ingredients in Dal Chawal as well.

#7 Boosts Metabolism

High fiber, antioxidants and nutrients in dal, rice, ghee and the spices help speed up our metabolism. The turmeric also reduces inflammation in the gut and as such, which improves digestion and makes our metabolism better. Cumin is also known to speed our metabolism.

#8 Fat Loss

Better metabolism and good digestion results in fat loss. Fat loss might be linked with eating salad or starving yourself , but in reality, better nutrition and eating dal chawal will encourage long term fitness and fat loss. This food will make you look and feel good. Eating ghee also supports fat loss and reduction in belly fat, read more about this here.

#9 Helps in fetal development and specially good for women

While Cow’s ghee is beneficial in good memory and brainpower, immunity building of a baby in mother’s womb, toor dal being rich in folic acid helps in fetal development. Folic acid in toor dal is especially beneficial for women’s health.

#10 Prevention of Heart Disease

Fiber in Dal, healing properties of turmeric and cumin along with the benefits of pure cow’s ghee, which contains good fats, protects our body from heart disease.

Comfort Food & Super-meal for the Family

If these reasons weren’t enough, I’d still eat Dal-Rice-Ghee everyday for the sheer comfort and warmth filled in that meal. It is now being scientifically proven that positive thoughts and feelings impact the physical being. When a loving mother prepares Dal-Rice-Ghee for her family, the positive feelings in that meal will make a gloomy day brighter, and heal our body and mind.

I believe that Dal-Rice-Ghee is a Desi Superfood and Supermeal, and one should eat it everyday of the week. It can be in the form of Dal-Chawal-Ghee or khichdi, you can also experiment and create your very own Dal-Chawal-Ghee creations. I, for instance, came up with Dal-Chawal cheesy bites, which were fried in ghee, a bit rich, but also totally worth it! It was delicious. But if you’re in the mood for simple, then simple boil dal and rice, add some tadka, lemon and coriander on top, drizzle with some pickle masala and bite into a crunchy aloo papad along with it, and you are set for the day! Do share you Dal-Chawal-Ghee creations in the comments below and tag me in your Instagram pictures here.

Food journalist, researcher & marketer. Food, to me, is therapy. Let's use superfood and nutritious ingredients to make healthy food fun for our family. If eating well makes you happy, welcome to the family.

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Food journalist, researcher & marketer. Food, to me, is therapy. Let's use superfood and nutritious ingredients to make healthy food fun for our family. If eating well makes you happy, welcome to the family.